What is the term for notifying a patient of a need to schedule an appointment via letter, card, e-mail, or phone call?

• A. Reminder
• B. Recall
• C. Notification
• D. Alert

Answer: (B)

Recall is the term used for contacting a patient who is due or overdue for care to schedule an appointment, using methods like mail, postcard, email, or phone. This outreach aims to bring the patient back in for preventive or ongoing services, helping maintain continuity of care. A reminder, in contrast, is typically used to prompt about an upcoming appointment or a near-due item that’s already scheduled, while notification and alert are more generic or urgent in tone. So, notifying a patient of a need to schedule an appointment fits the recall concept.